Gates Wandering In Bizarro World

“Far more than a single, isolated incident.”

“Part of a larger pattern of provocative and reckless behavior."

“International pariah.”

"For nothing to happen would be a very bad precedent.”

A parallel dimension is the only way to describe US Defense Secretary Robert Gate’s reality. Silently activated by Jerusalem, Gates fittingly bridged the Yellow and Mediterranean Seas in Singapore, a city of intermingling cultures. But Gates hadn’t intended to build anything - he intended to destroy the bridge.

In doing he so couldn’t be closer or further from the truth at the same time.

A situation can always become worse; time has tested this political law. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and company are busy denying a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, hypocrisy that’s hard to top. But if anyone could it would be Gates, who believes all the above statements apply to North Korea.

And not Israel.

Gates wasn’t speaking randomly so much as seizing an opportunity, the bizarro opportunity for peace that President Barack Obama spoke of. Earlier Maj. Gen. Zhu Chenghu of China's National Defense University was quoted as saying, “There is a wide gap in the U.S. attitude and policy to the two instances.”

Gates replied, “the attack on Cheonan was a surprise operation conducted ‘without any warning’ whereas Israel had issued several warnings to the flotilla not to enter its territorial waters,” according to the AP.

"I won't make judgment on responsibility or fault,” Gates said, adding that he supports an international investigation. "But I think there is no comparison whatsoever between what happened in the eastern Mediterranean and what happened to the Cheonan.”

None? Because Gates triggers images of Israel with every threat he lobs at North Korea. His levels of hypocrisy are stunning, a deep with no bottom.

For starters China has supported UN resolutions to end the Gaza blockade, and is again raising the issue on the world stage. Is it taking advantage of it? Certainly, just like America and North Korea. Gates nullified Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent imploring for China to assume global responsibility, even as he too urged Beijing to become a world leader. Just in Taiwan, North Korea, Afghanistan, and Africa.

Not Palestine.

As for North Korea, Gates says it, “must cease its belligerent behavior and demonstrate clearly and decisively that it wants to pursue a different path.” Apparently this doesn’t apply to Israel either. Keeping his focus solely on the two ships, he extends North Korea to its past behavior and treats Israel in isolation.

As if the Freedom Flotilla was an isolated incident.

To Gates the blockade doesn’t register in spite of the White House crumbling on Gaza. Though he supports an investigation, Gates claims the purpose is to discover who’s responsible. If the protesters are faulted then case closed. To him the waters belong to Israel, not the Palestinians. To him Israel is defending its rightful borders rather than maintaining an illegal blockade by force.

Gaza is irrelevant, but North Korea’s actions have everything to do with what’s happening on land.

The ultimate conclusion too is expressed via hypocrisy. The AP reports, “Gates' harsh assessment reflects the Obama administration's pessimism about persuading the North to end its nuclear weapons program.” Conversely, the White House and Pentagon maintain optimism towards a two-state solution despite Israel’s behavior. At least publicly.

An unflinching supporter of Israel, Gates rarely speaks on Palestine except to insist Israel doesn’t pose a threat to US troops in the Middle East. He seems strangely unconcerned despite his willingness to send troops to the region.

Presiding over a failing strategy in Afghanistan, initiating futile operations in Yemen and Somalia, blaming China for poor relations, preparing war with Iran, finding no fault with Israel’s behavior. Gates is considered one of Obama’s best cabinet picks because of his rumored bureaucratic prowess, but he’s got nothing going across the world. This strategy emanates from a muddled mind, not an intelligent one.

What world is Gates is living in? Because it isn’t Earth.